Seahawks roll in exhibition win

Saturday

Nov 3, 2012 at 7:07 PM

Hager shows improvement in UNCW victory

By Brian MullBrian.Mull@StarNewsOnline.com

Potential flowing from his 6-foot-7 frame, Luke Hager took advantage of a redshirt season last year, used it to develop his body and basketball fundamentals. Watching UNCW games from the bench helped him grasp the level of intensity demanded at the Division I level.Hager got the chance to put his improvement on display Saturday afternoon in Trask Coliseum. Although it was just an exhibition game and the Seahawks were clearly the bigger, stronger and more talented team, he provided a glimpse of the player he could become in the next four years.During a 10-minute stretch in the first half of UNCW's 90-51 defeat of N.C. Wesleyan, the big guard made a powerful spin move on the baseline to score, hit an open 3-pointer, blocked a shot, dealt two assists, and handled the ball with poise."There was definitely some nerves coming out for me," Hager said. "It was exciting to get out there on the court and just play within the flow of the game. I didn't try to rush anything or make too much happen, just tried to play with the flow."Hager finished with seven points, six rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes as UNCW controlled both halves. The Seahawks shot 63.2 percent, including 11 of 17 on 3-pointers and held the Bishops to 31.6 percent shooting in their final tuneup before the Nov. 11 season opener against UNC-Asheville."I thought our ball pressure on defense was there," UNCW coach Buzz Peterson said. "I thought our support was there. We were active on the defensive end. That's something I've tried to stress. I saw some intensity, and great effort on the defensive end."Tanner Milson led the long-range attack and the Seahawks with 19 points, while junior college transfer Chris Dixon added 11 and Cedrick Williams had 10.UNCW coach Buzz Peterson liked what he saw from Dixon, who came off the bench but outplayed starting point guard Craig Ponder."He did a very nice job of defending, controlling our offense, getting the ball where it needed to be," Peterson said. "He gave us energy."Hager and Freddie Jackson (6-foot-4) could give UNCW an element missing from recent teams. Both are playmakers with size who have the strength and length to drive the ball into the lane. They should be able to match up with the bigger guards prevalent in the CAA, and Peterson liked what he saw when they were on the court together.The former New Hanover product Jackson had six points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in a team-high 29 minutes."Freddie did a very good job in his support on the weakside, his rebounding," Peterson said. "He gets in transition; that's something he does very well."UNCW often had three players 6-foot-7 or taller on the floor, and used that muscle to outscore Wesleyan 44-22 in the paint, generating 25 points off 13 offensive rebounds.